My Thoughts

My photo this month came out of our Business of Distinction feature we do at least once a year. This year we decided to look at how greenery is being used in the commercial setting. I believe the Green Spaces feature will inspire ideas for gifts and for your own living and work environments. During the story development we discovered this amazing gorilla topiary and the staff pitched this photo opportunity.

Our cover story will introduce you to local students who sail competitively in teams. They come from nine area high schools plus one who is homeschooled. You may have seen them practicing in and around Banks Channel, not knowing those are high schoolers. It’s a fascinating program and open to all who have a desire to sail.

As someone with a fair amount of equestrian experience from when I was younger, including having owned multiple horses, I love the history piece by Robert Rehder on the Coast Guard’s little-known armed horseback involvement in protecting our coastline during World War II. Rehder interviewed those with first-hand knowledge. The photos are wonderful.

A World War II icon of the community, the Battleship North Carolina is implementing a plan to reduce flooding so that everyone who wishes to visit can go without having to slog through a waterlogged parking lot, or worse, having the exhibit closed because of high water. It is a unique and fascinating solution that will be replicated over and over, if it is successful.

For those who have a resolution parked to look up their ancestors, David Norris has tips on how to start finding your unknown family history. I was successful a number of years back in doing this myself, and I can’t tell you the New Year’s Day joy it brought to take my sister to meet and share a meal with cousins we had never seen, much less even known their names.

I have enjoyed seeing and learning about the work of artist Greg Stanley and how his creative process works.

Because I, like many, have a desire to clean up my diet and add more fruit and plant proteins, we have the story of amaranth, an ancient gluten-free  grain or seed that is making a comeback. It is packed with protein, and I am trying to find a way to incorporate it into my diet. At the same time, I also found buckwheat and, while buckwheat porridge has much less protein, it is a very delicious gluten-free breakfast. So be adventuresome, try either or both, and let us know what you think.

The gift this season for me is the gift of kindness.

I wish you a happy, prosperous, joyous and blessed New Year.

— Pat Bradford, Senior Editor/Publisher